In the final move to end a months-long funding debate, members of the University of Wisconsin student government narrowly voted Wednesday to reinstate the Multicultural Student Coalition’s funding eligibility for the next fiscal year.
Associated Students of Madison Chair Allie Gardner broke a tie with Student Council members by voting in favor of reinstating MCSC’s eligibility to receive funding. Gardner also spoke last semester in support of MCSC at a Student Services Finance Committee meeting, which immediately sparked questions of neutrality in the deciding process.
The final vote tally stood at 10 in support of reinstating eligibility, nine against and four abstaining. During the session, each member voting on the eligibility decision was required to state for the record their support or denial for the move, as well as their reasoning.
Much of the debate centered on the group’s fulfillment of the eligibility requirement that more than 50 percent of their programs go toward direct services for students, as well as recent controversy over alleged policy violations in regard to hiring professional staff, which members of SSFC ruled Monday were intentional violations. MCSC members contended the violations were a result of miscommunication and lack of training.
MCSC member Amberine Huda said they would never intentionally violate a policy, adding they have worked to heighten direct services despite struggles throughout the semester to reinstate funding.
“It’s been the most challenging year, to say the least, in terms of defining direct services,” Huda said. “Staff members have been working around the clock to prepare for these meetings. … It’s been taking a toll on our entire staff.”
MCSC member Cecilia Leon added the organization continuously spoke with ASM staff about the specific policy they were violating in their contracts to hire a professional staff member for training purposes.
Student Council Rep. Libby Wick-Bander, who voted in favor of restoring the group’s eligibility, also cited concerns surrounding the question of intentionality, as well as the organization’s confusion over the violations.
MCSC members and student representatives who voted in support of restoring eligibility cheered when Gardner announced her vote, while Student Council Rep. and MCSC member Patrick Piazze-McMahon said “fuck you,” apparently directed at Rep. Maria Giannopoulos. Gardner called on Piazze-McMahon to apologize.
SSFC member Cale Plamann said the violations were clearly intentional, due to the group’s decision to continue with contracts and training sessions that were not approved by ASM and lack of communication with ASM professional staff.
Vice Chair Andrew Bulovsky added, while he believed they met direct services, the organization should have done more to follow policy.
The Student Judiciary also released a decision Wednesday regarding an elections complaint against Giannopoulos and Rep. German Larrain, filed by Diversity Committee Chair Niko Magallon, which claimed the members deceived and harassed the voting public.
Vice Chief Justice Nicholas Checker wrote in the decision the evidence was “weak and unsubstantiated,” and ruled the members to retain their seats for next year’s Student Council.
